Scenes from turtle farm surveys in China. Bottom right: Dr. Shi Haitao with an an intentionally produced intergeneric hybrid.
Most of my research on the Asian turtle crisis (the conservation emergency facing Asian turtles) is done in collaboration with Shi Haitao, Director of the Hainan Biodiversity Museum. We are working to document the effects of human exploitation on the systematics and conservation status of critically endangered turtles. Please see these press articles about our work:
"Mock Turtles"
Nature, 2003
"China's Turtle Farms Threaten Rare Species, Experts Say"
National Geographic, 2007
Society of Conservation Biology, 2007
Selected Relevant Publications
Shi H., J.F. Parham, Z. Fan, M. Hong, and F. Yin. 2008. Evidence for the massive scale of turtle farming in China. Oryx- International Journal for Conservation 42(1):147-150. [download]
Hong, M., H. Shi, L. Fu, S. Gong, J.J. Fong, and J.F. Parham. 2008. Scientific refutation of Traditional Chinese Medicine claims about turtles. Applied Herpetology 5(2):173-187. [download]
Shi, H., J.J. Fong, J.F. Parham, J. Pang, J. Wang, M. Hong, Y. Zhang. 2008. Mitochondrial variation of the "eyed" turtles (Sacalia) based on known locality and trade specimens. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 49:1025-1029. [download]
Shi, H., M. Hou, P. Pritchard, J. Peng, Z. Fan, F. Yin, T. Chen, H. Liu, J. Wang, Y. Liu (Eds.). 2008. Identification Manual for Traded Turtles in China. Contributors: P.P. van Dijk, J.F. Parham, J. Fong, B. Horne, H. Zwartpoorte, C. Schaffer, J. Tucker, B. Devaux, A. Cadi, S. Gong, G. Li. Encyclopedia of China Publishing House, Beijing, 166 pp.
Shi H., J.F. Parham, M. Lau, and Chen T.-H. 2007. Farming endangered turtles to extinction in China. Conservation Biology 21(1):5-6. [download]
Fong, J.J., J.F. Parham, Shi H., B.L. Stuart, and R.L. Carter. 2007. A genetic survey of heavily exploited, endangered turtles: Caveats on the conservation value of trade animals. Animal Conservation 10(4). [download]
Parham, J.F., B.L. Stuart, R. Bour, and U. Fritz. 2004. Evolutionary distinctiveness of the extinct Yunnan box turtle revealed by DNA from an old museum specimen. Proceedings of the Royal Society Series B: Biology Letters 271(1556[S6]):391-394. [download]
Parham, J.F., W.B. Simison, K.H. Kozak, C.R. Feldman, and Shi H. 2001. New Chinese turtles: Endangered or invalid? A reassessment of two species using mitochondrial DNA, allozyme electrophoresis, and known locality specimens. Animal Conservation 4(4):357-367. [download]
Other Relevant Publications
He, B., Y. Liu, H. Shi, J. Zhang, M. Hu, Y. Ma, L. Fu, M. Hong, J. Wang, J.J. Fong, and J.F. Parham. 2010/In press. Captive breeding of the four-eyed turtle (Sacalia quadriocellata). Asian Herpetological Research.
Stuart, B.L., and J.F. Parham. 2007. Recent hybrid origin of three rare Chinese turtles. Conservation Genetics 8:169-175. [download]
Shi, H., J.F. Parham, W.B. Simison, J. Wang, S. Gong, and B. Fu. 2005. A report on the hybridization between two species of threatened Asian box turtles (Testudines: Cuora) in the wild on Hainan Island (China) with comments on the origin of ‘serrata’-like turtles. Amphibia-Reptilia 26(3):377-381. [Cover] [download]
Diesmos, A.C., J.F. Parham, B.L. Stuart, and R. Brown. 2005. The phylogenetic position of the recently rediscovered Philippine forest turtle (Bataguridae: Heosemys leytensis). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 56(3):31-41. [download]
Buskirk, J.R., J.F. Parham, and C.R. Feldman. 2005. On the hybridization of two distantly related Asian turtles (Sacalia x Mauremys). Salamandra 41(1/2):21-26.
Stuart, B.L., and J.F. Parham. 2004. Molecular phylogeny of the critically endangered Indochinese box turtle Cuora galbinifrons. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31:164-177. [download]
Feldman, C.R., and J.F. Parham. 2004. Molecular systematics of Old World stripe-necked turtles (Testudines: Mauremys). Asiatic Herpetological Research 10:28-37. [download]
Fong, J.J., J.F. Parham, and J. Fu. 2002. A reassessment of the distribution of Cuora flavomarginata Gray 1863 on Mainland China. Russian Journal of Herpetology 9(1):9-14. [download]
Parham, J.F., and H. Shi. 2001. The discovery of Mauremys iversoni-like turtles at a turtle farm in Hainan Province, China: The counterfeit golden coin. Asiatic Herpetological Research 9:71-77. [download]
Parham, J.F., and D. Li. 1999. A new locality for Cuora pani Song 1984 with comments on its known range. Asiatic Herpetological Research 8:111-113. [download]
Natural History Notes, Semi-Popular Articles
Parham, J.F., B.L. Stuart, and N.L. Orlov. 2006. Mauremys annamensis: Distribution record for Vietnam. Herpetological Review 37(2):239. [download]
Shi H., D. O’Connell, J.F. Parham and K. Buley. 2005. An action plan for turtle conservation in China. Proceedings of the EAZA Conference, Kolmarden, Sweden 2004:47-57.
Shi H., Liu H., and J.F. Parham. 2003. The Status of Conservation, Captive Breeding, and Research of Turtles in China. China Nature 2003(1):37. [In Chinese]
Shi H., and J.F. Parham. 2001. Preliminary observations of a large turtle farm in Hainan Province, People's Republic of China. Turtle and Tortoise Newsletter 3:2-4. [online version]
Parham, J.F., and Y. Wang. 2000. Palea steindachneri: Distribution record for China. Herpetological Review 31(2):111.